


Stress Relief

by ArcHeavyGunner



Category: Naruto
Genre: Character Study, Fluff, Gen, Gen Work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 18:55:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25620205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArcHeavyGunner/pseuds/ArcHeavyGunner
Summary: All Tenten wanted to do was get lunch with her friends. Instead, they ran into Shikamaru, who proceeded to do what Shikamaru does best; get Neji to say something misogynistic, and piss her off. Now all Tenten wants is to be left alone.
Relationships: Shiranui Genma & Tenten
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	Stress Relief

**Author's Note:**

> Authors Note: Mirai, from Boruto, is mentioned in this fic even though she is canonically, like, two years old. Her character was one of the few good parts of Boruto, so I brought her into the Naruto timeline and just made her the same age as the rest of the kids during Shippuden (like 16). That was originally done for a RP, but since this is being posted without that RP, you're gonna need context.
> 
> Also, fuck Kishimoto.

_ Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. _

The sound of kunai hitting the wooden targets had kept Tenten company for the past half an hour. Having already bullseyed each board over a dozen times, she was lazily tossing weaponry over her shoulder at this point. She  _ knew _ she was going to hit the bullseye, she always did, but that wasn’t why she was here. This wasn’t practice. This was stress relief, and after what Shikamaru had pulled, she needed it.

Honestly, she still couldn’t believe how much of a complete fucking asshole he could be. Sure, she knew he was a misogynistic bastard who thought all women belonged in the kitchen, but she always forgot how little he actually valued other people's opinions. 

_ Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. _

Each kunai sank a few inches into the crowded board, making her targets harder and harder to hit. Tenten took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself down, though it didn’t work. She wasn’t surprised, since this was about Shikamaru. She  _ knew _ she should have just kept her mouth shut, but holding her tongue around that prick was about as possible as her becoming Hokage.

_ Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. _

Tenten reached down for another kunai from her pile, only to find paper instead. Tossing the scroll aside, and into an ever-growing pile, she closed her eyes, and went through the motions of summoning another dozen kunai from a new scroll. They instantly appeared in her lap, the comforting weight letting her know that she could-

  
  


“Hey kid.”

Tenten’s eyes shot open, her right hand immediately going for a kunai in her lap, and her left bracing itself against the log so she could leap away. By the time her brain had caught up and recognized who was standing in front of her, the kunai was already pressed against his throat.

“What do you want, Genma.” 

A grin crossed his face, and before Tenten could even react, he had disarmed her with one hand, and had pushed her off of her log with the other. She landed on her back, kunai dancing through the air before sinking into the ground, tip first. She didn't bother to get up.

“Normally,” Genma started, “you put up more of a fight. What’s eating at you, kid?” he asked, as he gracefully jumped up and landed on the log Tenten was just on, before sitting down and stealing her spot. She groaned, and heard the distinctive sound of a kunai slamming into a wooden target. She craned her neck to see that her stolen kunai had just barely missed the crowded bullseye. He shrugged, rested his chin on a hand, and looked down at her, eyebrows raised.

Tenten looked back at her teacher, and tried her best to glare at him. She wanted her expression to read ‘Leave me alone before I gut you like a fish’, but, judging by his chuckle and eye roll. she was pretty sure it read as ‘petulant child’ instead. Her theory was proven right when he chuckled, shook his head, and told her to, “Spit it out, kid. I don’t have all day.”

“Shikamaru being an asshole, what else is new. Why do you care?”

“You hit your head on the way down? You’re under my wing, which means I have to care.” Genma smirked his usual smirk, trademark senbon making its way from one corner of his mouth to the other. 

The two of them sat there for a moment, then two, before Tenten let out a sigh of defeat. She really hated admitting that he was right, especially about stuff like this, but his stupid smirk screamed ‘I know that’s not the real reason you're upset’.

“I was a dick to Neji,” she finally said, defeated. And she  _ had _ been a dick to Neji, which was entirely uncalled for. He was always there for her, so why was she such an asshole to him? Why did she always try and put him down? Maybe she was hoping he would finally realize how shitty she-

“Stop that.” 

“Stop what?” Tenten shot back, a hint of irritation in her voice because she knew where this was going and she didn’t want to hear it.

“Stop beating yourself up. Sure, you were a dick to Neji, big deal. Didn’t he spend the first, like, three years you knew him being nothing but entitled?”

“Well, yeah, but-” 

“Tenten,” Genma said, now looking at her, his expression taking on his ‘I’m being serious so don’t make me say this twice’ look. “It isn’t  _ healthy _ . Do yourself, and more importantly, me, a favor and stop beating yourself up for every mistake you make, or else you’re gonna turn into Kakashi. The village doesn’t need  _ another _ Kakashi.”

Whenever Genma was serious like this, she knew she really fucked up. Tenten’s eyes darted away from his, and she felt a rising warmth in her cheeks. Her hands started picking at the grass and dirt beneath them, since there was nothing else to keep them occupied. A kunai would’ve been able to keep her hands still, but there was a risk of her throwing it at Genma. Probably for the best she didn’t have one nearby.

“Kid, you gotta cut that out. So instead of moping here, convinced you're the biggest asshole in all of Konoha, maybe you should go find Neji and, I dunno, talk to him? Like an adult?”

_ Fuck _ . 

He was right, and Tenten knew it. He was always right, which was incredibly annoying. Genma always knew exactly what to say to make her realize that she was being ridiculous. He always had, even when she was little.

Tenten propped herself up on her elbows, and finally looked at Genma. He smirked back at her as he got off of the log, and bent down to help her up. After getting on her feet, Genma helped brush the dirt off of her, before placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Now go and apologize to your boys. Last I heard, they were at Training Field D.”

Genma smiled, and before Tenten could react, pulled her in for a brief hug. It only lasted for a few seconds, but it was long enough for Tenten to wrap her arms around his back. One puff of smoke and a pair of empty arms later, she noticed a small piece of paper gently floated to the ground.

_ Movie night at my place later, at 9. About half a dozen of us are gonna be there, including Mirai. You know I’m a good wingman. Feel free to bring whoever you want. Also, I may have access to images of Shikamaru for your targets. That kid IS an asshole. Be at my place at 7, you’re helping me set up. _

_ -G _

Tenten rolled her eyes in the most exaggerated way she could, knowing that Genma was still  _ somewhere _ nearby. Still, she tucked the note away inside her breast pocket. As she summoned her weapons back to their scrolls, a list of names ran through her head. Shino, Choji, Sakura, they would all be good guests. She should probably invite Ino too, as a way to make up for her storming out of lunch. And apologize to her too. But first, she needed to apologize to Neji.

And then invite him too.


End file.
